saarahnina's reviews
539 reviews

Not poetic.

Every Chapter is a verse, typically short (around six lines). I felt each verse could be bottled down to one word. The rest was unnecessary. I guess you could call this book a book of 'poems' but they seemed to be words structured visually to make them 'poetic'.

I couldn't appreciate the work, but I think fondly of the author. A valuable humanitarian, working to eradicate homelessness one county at a time.

A book dying to be read

I have always found myself reading books about the dead and what happens when they have passed on. It's a strange fascination of mine, but I do enjoy learning of how another thinks about the afterlife. Purely imaginative. I'll do my best to describe the story.

Okay, so...It all starts with a whistle. Regina, a social worker for the elderly, lost her husband recently. And she can swear that it's him whistling. Bit by bit, she makes other discoveries which have her thinking she's crazy. So what does she do? She tells her boss and eventually everyone else about it all! Surprisingly, they are not surprised.

Initially, it is just her husband playing tricks on her- no big deal! But then he actually shows up. Uh oh. Her husband tells her all she has to do, for him to stop bothering her, is offer him a dance. He was never able to, when he was alive but now- he was all for it. Trouble is, he can't dance. How do they achieve the impossible? How is she able to see the dead?

I do believe this book would have been quite ordinary had it not been for Regina's humour- just the sort of person you need during those awkward family dinners. I cannot emphasise enough how the humour got to the point where I was silently chuckling or even hiding my smiles behind the palm of my hand. From the moment when she allows her client, Pearl, into her car to how she struggles with her dancing- whilst having insulted her husband about his.

The characters were amazing. And the humour even in the overall writing style was quite extraordinary. What more is required for a book destined to be a success?

Crazy intriguing

I've read so much about weird customs and traditions but, this by far is the craziest. Inspired by pure imagination. A dysfunctional society, men marrying infertile women. But to have children, they bring women in from the outside. They proceed to get these women pregnant...After that, they have no use for them. But what they do to the innocent women is insane.

A book like this is rare, and for a short story it is successful. The plot draws you in, and the empathy I had for the main characters- the good character, with a conscience, and the poor, helpless, victim- is shockingly unbelievable.

Witty and charming

A young woman, Augusta, naive and innocent finds her luxurious life intolerable and stifling. At a good time too, because it is at this time that her stepfather conspires to have her leave his estate. She meets a plethora of well groomed men. And from there, only one man stands out: Mr. Benjamin Blood. He speaks to her of adventures, of a friendship and humble companionship.

She agrees for he is better than the alternative-being thrown out on to the streets. She takes her personal maid, Patience, with her. And they all find their lives thrown off course by the deception, conspiracies, betrayals and secrets. Who is this Benjamin Blood? This is not the usual romance novel, it has quite a lot of action. I'd rather it were a humourous and romantic read but it goes without saying that this book was an enjoyable read, with all the twists and turns.

What did I just read?

This book is flat out disgusting. The main character was a plain narcissist, she played with men, sexually abused them, assaulted them and had them vying for her attention. They were literally waging war on each other, just so they could have her.

Did she love them? No, she just liked to have sex with them. How did she not get pregnant?

I don't understand how this is a Pride and Prejudice variation- it is an insult to Jane Austen's work. I only give two stars because it was interesting to read (I have to admit to that). But not something I'll be reading again.

Finally!

This is the mail order bride novel I feel I have been waiting a long time for. A story in which the two main characters find it difficult to maintain their marriage, simply the problem being lack of communication. Savannah is a quiet woman, unable to really talk. And Austin is a lonely man who wants a proper companionship, this obviously involves a lot of talking. They seem to be ill suited for one another but, will they manage to make their marriage work?

Definitely one of the main reasons I appreciated this novel is because most other novels simplify and trivialize marriage, especially novels of this theme. The character always seems to find her perfect man, and her happily ever after. And, typically, this is with the first man she heads out west to meet. Another reason I may even regard this novel as a favourite, for this mail order bride theme, is that it didn't end with the exchanging of marriage vows and a kiss. Instead, it provided a glimpse into Savannah's marriage.

I am glad to have read this book.

One moment

This book is a short recount of a tragic event that a young man witnessed over twenty years ago. And just how much it still affected him. A sentimental story.

Not very suspenseful

From the beginning of the story, we meet Doris. The only man she's ever loved has been her father. So, when her father answers to a mail order bride agency, she believes she must do it. For him. She has no qualms about his decision-quite unbelievable.

When she arrives at Dodge City, something seems amiss about her husband to be. Just, who is it that visited her room that first night? Why does her husband deliver such ominous message? What burden does he bear?

When it became clear that this book was going to be dark, I had high expectations. I love suspense and I figured that it was high time that another side to the mail order bride business was revealed. It has always been a peeve of mine that in every book of this theme, the female character finds love with the first man she heads out to see. Maybe I'm just getting bored of the genre, or it's just my cynicism talking. I just wanted it to be more interesting. And, having a criminal housekeeper, I'm afraid, is not going to cut it. Even if the said housekeeper is so set in her ways to destroy Doris' marriage.

I must admit, though, that I did like this book in that it didn't end with the wedding. This book offered more than the typical, for example we learn of Doris' first child. This was good, of course I'd have much preferred the story of the companionship between Doris and her husband but that wasn't to be. Needless to say, I don't think I minded this book, much.

Different

It was different but that's really it. There was nothing more to it. Meg goes out to meet her husband to be, Jacob, and finds herself with a man who couldn't possibly be anymore unlike the Jacob portrayed in the letters they had exchanged. Quite a mouthful.

She quickly learns why this is, and flees the impersonator. She comes across the Sheriff's building, where she knew he stayed, and finally meets Jacob. They share a meal, have a laugh...That's it. I feel that the story was attempting to be different, just didn't prove to be that different. I quite fancy the idea of reading a mail order bride novel - during the actual marriage. We all know that maintaining a happy marriage is no easy feat. So, it'd make for a far more interesting, and even comical, read.

Fascinating

A young woman flees from home, finds herself in desperate need of money. She sees an ad in a local place- to be a house-sitter. All is well and good until she begins to suspect the house. She can't seem to destroy a certain photograph, and it's obvious that something is going on. Will she uncover it, and survive?

I felt that this book had the makings of a sinister novella, but not a lot happened: the photograph relentlessly showing up, the coincidences, the empty, children's nursery...That was it. This book could have done with more disturbing content.